


But My Buddy Needs Me (And Visa Versa)

by wildglitterwolf



Series: Booze Don't Need No Buddy AU [2]
Category: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Historical References, Jealousy, M/M, Relationship(s) Drama, These boys can't quit each other, What a weird love triangle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:21:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21514477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildglitterwolf/pseuds/wildglitterwolf
Summary: Cliff spends his first day on his own now that Rick's let him go, unsure of how to adjust to this new life. It isn't until news reaches him of the horror next door that he gets pulled back into Rick's mess only to realize the tension his presence is causing between Rick and Francesca.AU where Tarantino doesn't interfere with history
Relationships: Cliff Booth/Rick Dalton, Francesca Capucci/Rick Dalton
Series: Booze Don't Need No Buddy AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1550677
Comments: 8
Kudos: 51





	But My Buddy Needs Me (And Visa Versa)

**Author's Note:**

> So this became my other AU idea of what they would do if they had to react to the actual Tate murders. It's only reference at the beginning/end since there's enough drama without it being the main focus. All news quotes I pulled from news footage I watched. Major Character death warning is just for Sharon and them, everyone else is alive.

Cliff has heard before that dogs were a chick magnet. He figured those ‘dogs’ were anything that looked like a stuffed toy or the kind you’d see in the perfect family photo. Not those ‘mean dogs’ who looked like they could rip your head off if you got too close. So as he was out hiking along that trails in Griffith Park he was surprised by the number or ladies who approached him wanting to pet Brandy. He started to realize after probably the third set of women to approach him that maybe Brandy wasn’t the dog they were most interested in interacting with; it was like he only just noticed he lacked a ring on his finger.

“Well shit, Brandy. This is probably the first time since before I got with my wife that I truly felt single,” he says as he unleashes her and gets her into the backseat of the car to drive home. “I guess Rick really filled that significant other role.”

At this point Cliff wasn’t really sure how to feel about truly being a bachelor again. He wasn’t really interested in another long term relationship, legal or whatever the fuck this last thing was. One-night stands sounded a lot less complicated for the time being. Women clearly seemed interested still, although he was at the point in his life where the age gap was getting too wide and he didn’t need anyone with “daddy issues” latching onto him. Or he could always try men; surely there were places around here for that thing. Maybe Rick knew where to find them. Cliff couldn’t help but smile at the thought of calling Rick just to ask that. _Hello, Rick? Hey, do you happen to know where the homosexuals all go when they want to fuck? I’m bored and thought it would be a fine way to spend the evening_

“Yeah, I’m such an asshole.”

Cliff wasn’t really use to pulling back up to his trailer in the middle of the day when he was done with going out for the day. He knew he had important shit that needed to get done, mainly job hunting. That was already going to be a bitch of a resume to put together. Eh, what’s the hurt in taking the rest of the day off? Maybe he’ll do something else productived like cleaning the trailer. _Don’t kid yourself, man._

RIIIIIING

“Huh, sounds like the phone is ringing, girl. Maybe Rick misses us and wants us back already. Hell, I didn’t even ask how he was planning to get around without a license. I don’t think anyone else would be calling us…” Cliff decides to not rush in to answer and instead lets it die. If Rick was just calling for him to come drive him, he could fuck off for now. He unlocks the trailer and lets Brandy in before going back to the car and grab his stuff. 

“Ah shit, should have grabbed food for myself. I don’t even know if I have anything here since we left. This half box of Wheaties is probably stale by now.” Cliff puts Brandy’s cans away and sees he’s got maybe a couple of cans of chili for himself in the back of the cupboard, hopefully not expired since he’s got the feeling he always neglected to move older cans to the front when he restocked. 

RIIIIIING

“Fuck, man. He must be desperate. No, I’m not giving him that satisfaction. No, I don’t care if I’m also partly to blame, don’t look at me like that.” _This is my life now: bitching about my ex to a bitch._

Cliff sighs and turns the TV on to drown out the phone in case it starts ringing again. He tosses his bag in the back to be sorted out later as he starts to make his lunch of ‘thankfully not expired but close to it’ chili. “From Italian to this… definitely a step down. Hey, maybe that’s why he married her, huh? He loves the food so much he actually married it.”

RIIIIIING

“I swear. Nothing could be this important to be on my ass this much already,” Cliff growls now starting to get annoyed as he dumps the can into the pot. He tries to block out the ringing as his hearing picks up on the television news instead.

_”In a scene described by one investigator as reminiscent of a weird religious rite, five persons, including actress Sharon Tate were found dead-”_

Cliff stilled as he tried to remember why that name suddenly felt important. He knew she was an actress but why was it suddenly hitting him hard? Rick never mentioned her, he didn’t think.

_”-at the home of Ms. Tate and her husband, screen director Roman Polanski-”_

Polanski… home… Polanski’s Rick’s-

RIIIIIING

“... Shit.” 

Cliff flies around the counter to grab the phone just in time. “Hello? Rick? Is that you?”

“Fucking FINALLY! I-I-I’ve been trying to r-r-reach you for h-hours!” Rick sounded like he was in complete hysterics and on the verge of crying if he hadn’t been already.

“Sorry, took Brandy to Griffith. I heard the news. Are you okay?”

“Am I OKAY?? Fucking of course I’m not okay! There was a FUCKING MASSACRE next door!!”

“Okay, Rick? Rick? I need you to listen to me, alright, partner? I need you to calm down. There are police in the area, right?”

“Oh, fuck, yeah, an entire fucking swarm of them. Fucking had to interrogate me an-and everything.”

“Alright, see? You should be safe. No one is gonna try to come get you while they’re there if these assholes are smart enough.”

“B-but th-they won’t always be, Cliff. I… I-I’d really want you to come back, please?”

Cliff takes a long pause. “How’s Francesca?”

“S-she’s freaked out, too. Both of us.”

“But as badly as you?”

“Fuck off, we are both equally upset.”

_”Yes, but I am at least not crying like you are!”_

Cliff couldn’t help but let out a laugh as he hears Francesca’s comment in the background. “Ah, I should have told her what a handful you were gonna be. If she’s fine with me coming over, guess I can.” _I don’t want to but… I guess I just can’t quit you, Rick Dalton._

“Thanks, buddy. I-I owe you one. Bring Brandy, she’s a good guard dog, right? A-and if you don’t mind staying a few days guess bring stuff for awhile.”

“Right. Of course.”

“And, uh… I forgot. Since uh, you were my driver and all and we are flat out of food…”

“Sure. I’ll stop by the store. Maybe grab some burgers on the way over for dinner, that sound good?” 

“Sounds great.” Cliff could almost hear the smile radiating through the phone line.

“Alright. Why don’t you give a ring when you see the police cars start to disperse a bit. I’m still a bit uncomfortable having that many around.”

“Oh, right right. I’ll let you know.”

“Sounds like a plan. Talk later.” 

Cliff hangs up the phone and flops in the chair letting out a heavy sigh. “I thought I was fucking done, and he pulls me right back in.” He watches the news a bit more, realizing exactly how fucked up this crime sounded. No wonder Rick is scared out of his mind, these people who did this deserve a special place in hell as far as he was concerned. And as much as a tiny part of him desired for Rick to come crawling back to him, this wasn’t the way he wanted it to happen.

\---

It was several hours later before Rick could give Cliff the all clear to come up. Luckily he already had everything still packed and ready to go except for Brandy’s stuff but that didn’t take too long. He decided to skip the store not wanting to leave Brandy in the car while he tackled grocery shopping and grabbed half a dozen burgers, fries, and milkshakes through the closest drive-thru. Boy, those employees probably hated him for such a large order.

The sun was already starting to set as he pulled into the cul-de-sac. There was definitely a somber feeling he never felt in the area before, and he could see the gate to the Polanskis was closed off by the police. Cliff pulled into the driveway trying his best to turn away his morbid curiosity; he was sure whatever he needed to know he can just turn the news on for. 

At first he was surprised to find Rick’s door was locked, but after whatever the hell happened, he didn’t think many people will be leaving their doors unlocked much anymore. Luckily, he forgot to give the spare back to Rick. He sets the food down so he can reach for it only for Rick to open the door and fly at him with great intensity, enveloping him in the hardest hug he thinks he’s ever received from the other man.

“You’re here. You’re fucking here. I-I know you said you’d come b-but I wasn’t sure.” Rick clearly had no shame as he started crying into his chest, and Cliff noticed out of the corner of his eye that Francesca got to see the full display. If Rick really didn’t want to make it look like they were a thing in the past, he was doing a piss poor job of it.

“Sorry, man. I was grabbing food. Didn’t go shopping since I didn’t want to leave Brandy in the car. I can do that tomorrow but here, eat your food before it gets too cold. Got some milkshakes in the car as well.” Cliff gently nudges Rick off him so he can pick the food up and pushes it into Rick’s chest. He goes back to the car and lets Brandy out to run inside, grabs his bag and milkshakes and follows her in.

Cliff noticed the television wasn’t on. Maybe they had enough news or there wasn’t anything new to report. Or maybe they were just sick of thinking about it being so close to the place. “So uh, are you thinking of going anywhere to get away for awhile? A hotel? Or vacation? Or are you planning to move?”

“Well I want to move, I do not feel safe here. But he is insisting we stay!”

“Francesca, now honey, I told you why. This is our place, and if we run away then we are just letting those perpetrators know they won. We aren’t going to let fear win, alright?”

Cliff was actually impressed by that answer. Even more impressive considering who it was coming out of and was acting all day like staying was exactly what he didn’t want to do. “He’s right. They most likely won’t try to hit this area again, especially if the police keep coming back. Probably the safest place we can be right now. And besides, you have Brandy and me. We’re the best guard dogs you could ask for.”

Francesca tried to look satisfied with that answer but Cliff could tell she was still worried. Worried enough to maybe go back to Italy? Cliff felt shitty for thinking that but he couldn’t help it. He watched her take a bite of a burger and the disgusted look on her face made Cliff howl; guess the cuisine was going to be another adjustment for her.

“Welcome to America, doll.” 

\---

What Cliff thought would maybe be a week at most of staying with Rick and Francesca started to turn into weeks and eventually months, reluctantly finding himself back in his old position of doing whatever Rick needed. Apparently Rick still hadn’t told Francesca he didn’t have a license so Rick was still able to hold onto that secret a little longer. And Cliff never thought he could hate driving but each time they went out he sat alone in the front while he had to witness the make-out session in back. A session, he noted, that seemed a little one sided on the enthusiasm. He also wasn’t allowed to join them, whether it was Rick’s idea or not, so Rick would often spot him a few bucks to go grab something to eat while they were off doing whatever the hell Hollywood couples do to keep up appearances.

And Cliff could take the hint that Francesca still wasn’t happy about him being there, but he also could tell she clearly hasn’t dealt with someone like Rick before. Whenever Rick had one of those moods that came out of nowhere, especially if there was a lot of crying and yelling for reasons that didn’t make sense to anyone but Rick, Francesca would be at a lost on what to say or do and often made it worse by yelling right back at him. Cliff tried to stay out of the way as much as possible since technically Rick should be her problem now, but when it got too much and he couldn’t take Rick’s suffering any longer, he would ease himself into the situation to settle him down. Eventually, Rick would respond to the calming voice and positive comments that Cliff always provided and instinctively embrace him for comfort and support. The first few times this happened Cliff would look over and see Francesca’s annoyance that her husband was turning to another man for the thing he should be going to his wife for. By the fourth time, all he could see was defeat on her face that this would always be the norm, and he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. 

Cliff awoke the next morning after that particular incident to the sound of their arguing. He decided to lie in bed and ignore them until it was over but his ears couldn’t help but perk up once he heard his name in the mix. It sounded like the subject of this quarrel turned to him.

“I want him gone. You are too dependent on him for everything, and I mean everything! Why will you not confide in me like the way you do with him? Why is it only when he intervenes do you stop your crying?”

“He’s just known me the longest, sweetie, that’s all. He knows what to do when I get like this. Y-you just got… gotta be patient with me is all. You’ll learn.”

“But why are you even like this? I thought you were a strong man like the ones you play on screen? You seemed that way off screen as well, I feel like I’ve been lied to!”

“I-I-I am… I am… don’t question my fucking manhood, I don’t know why I fucking get this way. You think I like feeling like this? You think I would fucking choose this??? I know what a fucking embarrassing mess I am when this happens. And Cliff… he learned to deal with it. Made me feel like it was going to be okay. Not fucking attack me for it!”

“Then perhaps maybe you need to think about who you need the most in your life.”

There was the sound of storming off. Door slamming. Shower started a few moments later. Cliff let out a sigh as he turned onto his side to face the window with zero desire to leave the room today. He didn’t move when he heard his door creak open. Brandy went to greet Rick as he softly whispers to her asking if Cliff was awake. Neither Brandy or Cliff gave him an answer. Cliff felt a weight roll onto the bed and spoon behind him, arm draping over his waist and tear-stained face buried in the back of his neck. 

“Don’t. You can’t come to me like this.”

“You’re the only one who understands me.”

“Then teach her. What you are doing is cruel to her. And me.”

“Then why haven’t you left?”

Rick got him there. He should have just thrown Rick off the deep end and force him to swim in this mess he created. He was out. Free. And yet he came back to this hell and made no indication he wanted to leave it. 

“Alright. You win. But as soon as I hear that shower turn off, you leave. Can’t have her finding us like this.”

They stayed like that in silence for what felt like an eternity. Cliff was worried maybe something was wrong with Francesca as Rick softly dozes off. Finally he heard the water shut off and felt Rick totally passed out on him; if he was going to avoid a potential issue he’d have to be the one to leave. Sighing, he carefully lifts Rick’s arm up and slips out, quickly just puts on his jeans from yesterday, and grabs his sunglasses before heading out back with Brandy. 

Cliff sat out facing the city view, the warm October air courtesy of the Santa Anas in full effect. He wondered what the level of wildfire danger was around this area as trying to evacuate Rick would be a pain in the ass. Even more of a pain would be if he had to put him up in his trailer for awhile, but then he remembered Rick comes in a pair now and no less than a hotel would probably be tolerable for them. He shakes a cigarette out of his pack and holds it to the winds, humoring himself to see if it would light on its own before doing it manually.

The sound of the sliding door opens causes him to sigh; Rick just couldn’t take a hint could he? He lets his cigarette hang loosely in his lips as he crosses his arms and slides down in his seat, hoping his body language was enough of an indication he didn’t wish to be bothered. However, Cliff wasn’t sure if seeing Francesca suddenly occupy that chair next to him was a far worse scenario but he straightened himself up anyways. 

“Mornin’. Care for a smoke?” Cliff offers his carton towards her in his version of a peace offering.

“I have my own, thank you.” 

Cliff nods and tucks his pack back into his jeans as he watches her light up. She never took her eyes off him as he felt like he was being sized up. Yeah, he was starting to wish it was Rick who came out; he didn’t know if whatever was about to happen would go well or if the police will be making another trip to Cielo Drive for a murder investigation.

“I was not expecting that I would have to be the man in this relationship.”

Well that certainly wasn’t what Cliff was expecting to hear. He cocks an eyebrow as he takes a long drag before answering. “Well now, that’s rather harsh. Last time I saw I’m pretty sure he had a dick.”

“And I take it you see it often?”

 _Oh shit, abort, Cliff, abort!_ His mind is screaming but he keeps his cool on the outside, taking another drag. “Not often, no. But you know how guys are, they just want to see who is bigger.”

“And who is?”

 _You’re so fucked, man. So fucked._ “Well now, that’s just between me and your husband.”

“So you are, then.” Francesca’s eyes narrow as she flicks her ash in Cliff’s direction but he ignores it. “Why does he keep you around?”

“Well truth being, and honest I swear, he doesn’t have a license. Lost it drunk driving and all so I’ve been doing everything for him that involves driving anywhere. He’s probably too embarrassed to tell ya, is all.”

“Why does he keep you around?” Her tone was a lot more threatening this time.

“Shit, that answer doesn’t satisfy you? It’s the truth!”

“I know. He told me after the first week when I tried to get rid of you. But why does he keep _you_ around and not hire someone else?”

“He knows me. I’m probably cheaper. I have trouble finding work so he helps me out. Take your pick.”

“I think he keeps you because he’s in love with you.”

There it is. Finally she said the thing he was waiting for her to admit. “Yeah. Sounds about right.” Cliff tosses the cigarette in front of him and over snuffs it out with this shoe, not stopping until someone speaks first. He’ll do it all day if he has to just to not have to deal with this tension any longer. 

“And I think you’re in love with him.”

Cliff swivels his foot harder until he’s sure by now the ash has become part of the concrete. “I’m sorry. I truly am. Trust me, I never meant to or wanted to. I mean, I was also married when I met him so this isn’t the first time a woman has gotten the raw end of our shit.”

“So you like women?”

“Well… here’s the thing. Am I physically attracted to them? Yes. Do I enjoy fucking? Very much so. But I think I can admit, despite being married and everything, that I’ve truly never been in love with one. Maybe I’ve just been with the wrong kind of woman. Like don’t take this the wrong way or anything, you’re a fine looking lady and all, and if under different and consensual circumstances you wanted to hook-up I wouldn’t hesitate. But I can tell already we would never work out long term.” 

“So why him? He barely provides any emotional support for me, and it doesn’t look like he gives you any either.”

Cliff laughs because he knows she’s right. “Yeah, it’s very one sided. But I became alright knowing that because I got something else out of it; he made me a better man. Far more kinder and more patient than I had ever been before. I think after the war I was this unruly animal with no proper outlet anymore. There were a lot of fights, nights spent in jail. No direction in life. Eventually I came out here and started stunting, but I still had that aggressive wild side in me, even after being Rick’s stunt double for awhile. The first time I saw Rick break down like that was on set. Don’t remember what for but I could already hear the whispers that he needed to ‘man up’ and was ‘overreacting’ to nothing. I found him in his trailer and I could tell right away this wasn’t something he could control; I’ve seen men from war, including myself, suddenly lose it out of nowhere from something triggering a trauma.”

“But he was not in the war?”

“No, this is something else. But I could understand what it’s like to go about your day and the slightest thing can set you off. I don’t always know what does it for Rick, but I’ve never told him to ‘man up’ and that his emotions aren’t valid. Yeah, maybe I tell him not to cry in public but that’s just because I know his image is his livelihood, and this society unfortunately taught us men shouldn’t show emotions, especially the crying kind.” Cliff knew that was rich coming from him, the poster boy for stoicism.

Francesca didn’t look any more comforted by this. If anything, the more Cliff talked the more he realized how much Rick really wasn’t the fairytale husband every little girl would dream of finding. That heroic knight in shining armor that he was so good at pretending to be on screen. But he was also good at playing the heavy, and that’s how Cliff felt Rick’s real life role was starting to sound. A severely misunderstood one, yes, but he couldn’t keep both him and Francesca locked away in a tower forever just because he needed them both.

“If you want my honest opinion, Francesca, you could do better. And I’m not saying that because I’m jealous or anything, but Rick isn’t the man for you. He’s never going to truly wear the pants in the relationship, if you get my drift. And for me, that’s alright. I guess it really all depends if you came to America for him or for Hollywood.”

Francesca gave Cliff probably the first sincere smile since he met her. “You are not as dumb as you look, Cliff Booth.”

“Woah, wait. I look dumb? Shit, I may not be well educated through the system but I think I have been more than enough through life.” Cliff forces a laugh to let her know he knows she’s joking. At least he hoped she was. “But it needs to be you who talks to Rick, not me. The one drawback of always inflating his ego is that if anything negative comes out of my mouth, he’ll shut down. So yeah, it’s gotta be you.”

“Yes, of course. I can see why he values as a friend. And more.” She gives him a forehead kiss in thanks and returns inside to confront Rick. 

Cliff gets up as well to find the pit bull watching her go in, on alert in case anything might happen. “Well, Brandy. What do you say we go for a ride? I don’t think I want to be home for whatever is about to go down. Yeah, I know I don’t have a shirt on but I might not have a head either if Rick brings me into this, and I’d rather stay in one piece.”

\---

It wasn’t until past sunset that Cliff decided to return in the hopes it was enough time to cover all the fighting, crying, and any make up sex that might go down. And on his end, he decided to pick up a couple pizzas at the most claimed to be authentic Italian place he could find just in case he needed a bargaining chip if they were both going to turn on him. 

“Hello? You guys home? Alive? Hopefully not mad at me for whatever reason? I got pizza…” Cliff kept shouting to the empty room as he goes to put the pizzas down on the kitchen counter. “Fucking? Please, I hope not… or maybe yeah if it means you guys aren’t one of the other things.” He goes down the hall but sees all the rooms are open and dark. “Well shit, maybe they called a cab. More pizza for me then.”

He walks back out into the living room and sees Rick coming in from outside. “Oh hey, man. I was looking for you two. Where’s Francesca?”

“She left.”

“Oh like, ‘took a cab somewhere’ kind of left or?”

“The other kind.”

“Ah. I’m sorry, man.”

“No, you aren’t.”

“Neither are you.”

Rick shakes his head as he goes behind the bar. “You think you know me that well, huh?”

“Yes, sir. I know the slightest form of rejection causes you to turn into a burst pipe line. You’d still be crying even if she left hours ago.”

“See? It’s like we were meant for each other. You know how I work. I take you for granted. It’s the perfect marriage.” Rick, to Cliff’s surprise, starts pulling out vodka, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce.

“What, did you run out of whiskey?”

“No. You’re right, I-I’m an alcoholic. And you were mad that I seemed to prefer drinking over you. And since I don’t see me drinking stopping any time soon, I might as well at least include you. Mind grabbing the tomato juice?”

“Huh. Well I guess it’s a start to improving, at least.” Cliff didn’t show it, but it touched him more than Rick realizes, especially since he knew Rick didn’t care for Bloody Marys. And it looks like he still doesn’t like them if the face he made while drinking it was any indication. But for once, Rick was putting Cliff’s preferences before his own, and to Cliff, that meant the absolute fucking world.

\---

So Rick and Francesca both mutually came to an understanding that this relationship wasn’t going to work in the long run. Luckily Rick showed remorse in that this was all his fault he let it get to this point and led her on, but he didn’t want her to give up on her dream in Hollywood, either. Lord knows he’s seen Cliff push him through it, for better or worse. They decided to keep the marriage going until Francesca could get a footing in and start making a name for herself. She had the advantage of being younger and far more attractive to what casting directors wanted than Rick (of course, Cliff tells him otherwise), and by the middle of the following year she was an up and coming star and the divorce papers could finally be slapped down.

“You did the right thing, man. She’s a good lady, and I hope she finds someone worthy of that.”

“Right, right. Grab me a pen. Let’s get this fucking done with.”

Cliff does so and lets him fill out the forms on his own while he grabs a beer and settles himself in front of the TV news. Today the Tate-LaBianca trial was opening, and his guilt conscious mind wanted to make sure he followed all of it. He never told Rick that he had seen these people before at Spahn Ranch, not because he’d have to admit to Rick he let a ‘dirty fucking hippie’ into his car, but he knew, he fucking _knew_ something did not seem right when he was there. The fact that he never told authorities that maybe someone should go check that place out weighed heavy on him. 

“Shit, you really have to watch that? I-It’s fucking depressing enough knowing it was happening here and we were too caught up in our own fucking drama to notice.”

That’s right. Double down on the guilt. 

“Well maybe when you’re done with those papers there, we can finalize it with me officially asking you out on a date if you’d rather be doing that tonight instead.” Cliff turns to give the stunned looking Rick a wink, chuckling to himself as he downs his beer.

Rick never wrote so damn fast in his life.


End file.
